BMTC bus driver dies of heart attack mid-route; conductor steps in to prevent mishap
Bengaluru, November 6: A 40-year-old BMTC bus driver died of a heart attack while driving the vehicle in the city on Wednesday, officials said.
The incident occurred at 11 am while the bus was en route from Nelamangala to Dasanapura.
A video of the incident shows that after the driver collapsed from the heart attack, the bus brushed past another Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus. The conductor quickly jumped into the driver's seat and took control of the vehicle.
According to BMTC officials, Kiran Kumar was operating vehicle number KA 57 F-4007 on route 256 M/1, during its final trip from Nelamangala to Dasanapura.
While on duty, Kumar suffered a heart attack and collapsed. In a courageous act, the conductor, Obalesh, immediately brought the vehicle to a safe halt, ensuring the safety of all passengers and preventing any accident.
Subsequently, Obalesh rushed Kumar to the nearby hospital, where doctors, after examination, confirmed that the driver had succumbed to a heart attack.
It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely demise of Kiran Kumar, a driver from Depot 40, who passed away due to a sudden heart attack on November 6. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) expresses its deepest condolences to the family of Kiran Kumar.
"The corporation prays for the peace of his soul. Senior officials from BMTC visited the family, offering their sympathies and providing an ex-gratia payment to help with the final rites," the BMTC said in a statement.
ఆర్టీసీ బస్సు డ్రైవర్కు గుండెపోటు.. డ్రైవింగ్ సీటు పైకి దూకి అందరి ప్రాణాలు కాపాడిన కండక్టర్
— Telugu Scribe (@TeluguScribe) November 6, 2024
బెంగుళూరులో నేలమంగళ నుండి దసనాపుర వెళ్తున్న ఆర్టీసీ బస్సులో గుండెపోటుతో డ్రైవింగ్ సీట్ మీదే ప్రాణాలు విడిచిన బస్సు డ్రైవర్ కిరణ్ కుమార్.
డ్రైవర్కు గుండెపోటు రావడంతో డ్రైవింగ్ సీటు… pic.twitter.com/R53YNgpkrm
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Two FIRs lodged against Mithun Chakraborty for 'provocative' speech
Kolkata, Nov 6: Two FIRs have been lodged against actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty for allegedly making provocative statements during a BJP event in Salt Lake area near Kolkata last month, police said on Wednesday.
The complaints pertain to Chakraborty's speech on October 27 at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake, during a BJP programme attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Kolkata to launch the party's West Bengal membership drive.
The first FIR was filed at the Bidhannagar South police station based on a complaint by an individual, while the second was lodged at Bowbazar police station.
"We have started an investigation into the case," a senior officer of Bidhannagar police said.
Shah was also present at the programme, which was organised to kick off the West Bengal leg of the BJP's membership drive. Shah had also felicitated Chakraborty for being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year.
Although Chakraborty was unavailable for comment, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the FIRs a result of "vendetta politics.".
Majumdar alleged that the TMC government "has once again used the police to unfairly target well-known actor and senior BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty".
He accused the chief minister of employing such tactics "to serve political interests" and claimed that the state government's actions were part of an ongoing attempt to discredit political opponents.
"There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool," he said.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dubbed the BJP's allegations as baseless.
"The allegations of political vendetta are baseless. He shouldn't have made such provocative remarks. The law will take its own course," he said.
Chakraborty, who received India's highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, earlier this year, had asserted on October 27 that the 'masnad' (throne) of West Bengal would belong to the BJP after the 2026 assembly elections, promising to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal.
While speaking at the programme, Chakraborty, a BJP leader, said, "In 2026, the 'masnad' will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal."
In an apparent reference to TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's communal remarks aimed at BJP workers during the Lok Sabha elections, Chakraborty had allegedly made provocative remarks.
Chakraborty cautioned that no one should attempt to intimidate saffron party voters into abstaining from voting in the next assembly elections.
He called upon the booth-level workers of his party to resist any such attempts.
